To Mum, With Love
by Teddy R. Lupin
Summary: A series of letters written between Teddy Remus Lupin and his mother Nymphadora during his seven years of school and beyond.  AU Remus and Tonks live, cowritten with Nymphadora Andromeda Lupin. Rated T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Hey there! So, I don't even really know how I got here, but I got a message from a reviewer saying that she enjoyed my story _Second Chances_. I said thanks and we just started talking more. This eventually turned into a role-play-ish thing, and I got the idea for us to write letters.

So this is basically (for now) Teddy at Hogwarts, from the beginning of Year One to the end of Year Seven and past that into whatever career path he follows. I guess there will be about five per year at school...maybe more. Not sure. I know for First Year, we're covering The Sorting (this chapter), the first week of classes, Halloween, then a scene about Christmas (I think), and then Easter, final exams, and the like. So...yeah.

A few notes: Morgana is Teddy's owl, Padfoot is the family dog, and Remus teaches at Hogwarts.

That's that, so let's get started!

I wrote Teddy's letter/scene, and Tonks's was written by the brilliant and amazing **Nymphadora Andromeda Lupin**.

_Mum!_

_I guess I should be sleeping now, but I needed to write. Unless Dad Flooed and told you, in which case you can tell him that he cheated. But anyway – I'm writing this from the Gryffindor common room!_

Teddy took a moment to look around at the warm, inviting room and grinned. This was everything he'd ever wanted, and everything he'd ever imagined. Hogwarts was more than living up to his expectations, and it was only the first night.

_The other boys in my dorm are brilliant; I'm glad the Hat put me here. It's a prat, by the way. It got me scared that I was going to be put in Slytherin. And I noticed at the feast…they seem like a rather unpleasant lot. I hope that I don't get into too much trouble with them…though Dad told me not to worry. _

_But I still do, Mum. _

His eyes widened as his gaze turned from the fresh parchment in front of him to the worn, folded parchment that rested beside him on the couch. Of course, this was something he was very familiar with…something that was the source of pranks the generation over.

_Oh, but I didn't tell you! Harry gave me a present before I left…besides Morgana, I mean. Maybe I shouldn't be telling you, 'cause he told me it was a secret…but you probably know about it already, right? At least…Dad does, told me he wasn't fooled. And can you believe, Harry didn't even tell me how to use it, he said I should figure it out myself. So right before I started writing this, I just tapped it with my wand and said "How do I work this?" Then I got replies from the people that first wrote it…oh, it's the Marauder's Map, by the way. You know, the one made by Dad and his friends? So they were enthused that Dad had a family and he didn't say much. His fifteen-year-old self, I mean. They actually told me how to work it, and it's brilliant! It's fully and amazingly wicked! But don't worry…I'm going to focus on figuring out where classes are before going down to the kitchens. Though you all were right…the food is the greatest thing I've ever tasted, almost better than Grandmum Weasley's. _

_All my love,_

_T. R. Lupin, Gryffindor House_

He blinked and rubbed his eyes as he set down the quill and re-read what he had written. His handwriting would need some practice, he decided. But all the essays that they were sure to be assigned would improve it greatly. His eyes lit up as he remembered his new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, and hastily added a postscript.

_P.S. Dad's not going to embarrass me in class, is he? 'Cause I'm looking forward to his class the most – d'you think that I'd make a good Auror one day? Or am I far too clumsy for that? I think I'd fail at Stealth and Tracking, but you did all right, didn't you? So I think I'd be fine, but what do you think, Mum? Maybe I'm too young to even think about it, but I want to fight Dark Wizards, and save people, and – err, sorry, Mum. Anyway, I'll write again on Friday after tea with Hagrid to tell you how classes went and everything. _

_P.P.S. Say hi to Padfoot for me; tell him I miss him, and to be good for you. He can be quite a handful sometimes._

After Teddy folded the letter, he sighed and picked up the quill again to address it. For a moment he struggled to remember his home address before smiling and writing it down.

_Nymphadora Lupin_

_7 Bagshot Road_

_Godric's Hollow, England, UK_

He looked towards the window, where a tawny owl looked expectantly at him. Teddy smiled at his present from his godfather, recalling that he had named her Morgana after one of the most interesting names he had found in A History of Magic. He slid the letter into an envelope and put it in the owl's beak.

"Give this to Mum, all right?" he murmured, and she gave a muffled hoot, which he took to mean that she understood. His hair faded to a mousy brown, and he watched until he could see her no longer.

xXxXxXx

Nymphadora Lupin, or Tonks to anyone who did not want to get hexed, was rudely awakened from the first sound sleep she had had since both her husband _and_ her son had left for Hogwarts by a tapping on the window. She pulled a pillow over her face and rolled over, moaning. Figuring it would go away, she ignored it. The tapping got louder. Groaning, she rolled out of bed and padded to the window, staring out with bleary eyes. Seeing the tawny owl on the other side of the glass she immediately felt more alert, recognising Harry's present to his Godson.

"Teddy wrote already?" she mumbled to herself. She belatedly realised she had not let the owl in yet, and opened the window. The owl, Morgana, Tonks remembered Teddy had named her, flew in and deposited her letter importantly on the coverlet of the bed. Murmuring a thank-you to the bird, Tonks gave her an owl treat and directed her towards the water bowl. Tearing the letter open, she greedily scanned the missive from her son.

_My Teddy,_

_You're a Gryffindor? Congratulations! Your father had NOT told me that, I quite suspect he wanted you to have the honour... I reckon he is dead proud of you right now! The Gryffindor Common Room hmmm? Lots of nasty red and gold? I am just kidding dear. I am so proud of you!_

She sniffed and wiped a tear of pride that was sneaking down her cheek away before continuing.

_Brilliant are they? Ah yes, The Sorting Hat... it seems to like freaking first-years out... the only fun it gets I suppose... and you know what Grandma Tonks would say if she saw that... "Theodore, there are many fine Slytherins!" She was a Slytherin don't forget. You really shouldn't worry Teddy, they are not that bad. And your father can be a wise man... when he wants to be. You will be fine._

Stopping to re-ink her quill, she re-read quickly over what she had written.

_So THAT is what Harry was sniggering about at the station... I had wondered. That is okay Ted, I promise not to tell him that you told me. Well of course your Father knows about it, he helped CREATE it didn't he? I can believe that of Harry, he likes to make people figure stuff out on their own. I gathered as much Ted, what ELSE could he have given you but that? Fitting isn't it? The son of the last Marauder getting the Map. He could not REALLY have given it to anyone else. It is rather amazing. You are going to figure out how to get to classes first?_

Stops to shake her head... he was definitely Remus' son in these moments... if _she_ had had the Map from day one at Hogwarts... Shaking off her fanciful imaginings she returned to scratching out her reply.

_The kitchens are bloody brilliant Teddy! They are always worth a visit. I had better not slip and tell you said that, she might take it as a challenge._

_Stay safe Teddy-bear, I miss you. The house is too quiet with both of you gone._

_Love always,_

_Mum._

Smiling softly to herself at the thought of earlier days when the house was full of laughter, mostly Remus' at Teddy falling over something, she started on the post-scripts.

_P.S I suspect he might, but you should not let it bother you Teddy, he would HOPEFULLY not do it on purpose but then knowing your father... Well your father is an excellent teacher, I am sure you will learn loads. It is a little early to be thinking about careers isn't it Ted?_

She could not stop the flash of fear at the thought of Teddy, _her_ Teddy, in the dangerous profession. This was quickly followed by a slow-burning pride that her son wanted to follow in her footsteps. She returned to writing her reply.

_I somehow managed to pass it, not really sure how, I was POSITIVE that I had failed it... turns out I just scraped through. You would be wonderful at anything you tried out for Ted! Keep it in mind Ted, but do not lock on to one idea so early, you have seven years of school, your never know, you may want to try something else by next week. Say hello to Hagrid for me would you dear? And whatever you do, DON'T attempt to EAT anything he makes... it is always a bad idea. The tea is always good though. Good luck in your first week!_

_P.P.S I will say hello to the dog for you, he currently has his head on my knee is staring at your letter pitifully... he howled something dreadful when you left dear, he misses you. And I know, I tried to take him for a walk yesterday and he almost yanked my arm out of its socket._

Accidentally knocking over the inkwell, a spreading black stain started to cover the letter. Cursing she pulled out her wand and managed to siphon the ink back off it, however she was not fast enough and some had already sunk into the parchment.

_P.P.P.S Oh and disregard the stain to the right, I, bloody klutz that I am, knocked over the inkwell._

_Again, I love you. And good luck this week. Be good, try not to cause TOO much trouble._

_All my love,_

_Mum._

Finishing the letter with a flourish, she blew gently on the ink to dry it and then folded the parchment carefully and slid it into an envelope.

Neatly scribing:

_Theodore Lupin_

_Gryffindor House_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Scotland_

onto the front of the envelope, she sealed it and glanced around for Morgana. Spying the owl asleep on the back of the chair, she clucked her tongue quietly and the bird snapped awake.

Carefully sliding the letter into the owl's beak, she carried the bird to the window.

"Make sure he gets this?" she asked the bird, receiving a muffled hoot in reply which she took for a yes. The bird took flight. She watched it out of sight, sniffling back tears as she turned to get ready for her day at the Ministry.

xXxXxXx

Please tell us what you think - both of us are a bit anxious and we love reviews.

Hopefully the next letter will come soon. :)

Teddy R. Lupin and Nymphadora Andromeda Lupin


	2. Chapter 2

Finally, here's the second chapter of Dora and Teddy's letters. :)

Trust me, you won't be disappointed. I'm as excited to post this as you guys hopefully are to read it.

Oh, and at the end of this chapter, there's an author's note from _**Nymphadora Andromeda Lupin**_, my co-author and awesome, awesome friend. :)

So I'd like to say thank you, to those who reviewed, **NymphadoraTonks-RemusLupin**, **ThatSuperHotSexyBookWorm**, **Potterfan19**, **MrsMoony993**, **Godisnotazombie**, **BellaSand**, and **Watching Every Sunset**, as well as the two anonymous reviewers, **Laurence** and **Rawr**.

xXxXxXx

Teddy rushed down the steps from the castle and grinned at the wooden hut on the side of the Forbidden Forest. He saw the smoke stemming from the chimney, and briefly wondered why in the world Hagrid had a fire going…it was quite hot outside. Teddy himself had shed his Gryffindor robes. The only thing that identified him as a member of the House of the Lion was the red and gold tie that hung around his neck.

In his haste, he tripped over a vine in Hagrid's garden, and groaned. Any hope of his clumsiness disappearing whilst he was at school was immediately crushed. But he jumped up and dusted off his shirt, knocking on the door to the half-giant's small home.

Hagrid's kind beetle-black eyes grinned down at the young Lupin and invited him in.

"How was yer first week?" he asked, pouring each of them a cup of tea.

Teddy beamed at him, his face lighting up. "Brilliant! Everything's great!"

"Made some friends?"

Teddy nodded, grinning. "Yeah. My dorm mates are wicked, especially Will Taylor. He hasn't said much…but the Slytherins pick on him more than they pick on Dad." His smile faded and his expression became thoughtful. Hagrid smiled at him and he gave the boy a look from underneath his bushy eyebrows.

"I heard somethin' about yeh gettin' into a figh' with one of 'em," the half-giant said, patting Teddy on the shoulder. "Brave of yeh, but somethin' tells me that's not what yer father wants for yeh."

The boy blushed, but swiftly morphed the reddening cheeks away. "Why can't they just see that not everyone's like them?" he asked angrily, slamming his fist down on the table, then flushing again before mumbling "Sorry" to Hagrid and sitting down on the large armchair, his arms around his legs. "Nothing's wrong with Will…it's not his fault where he got Sorted. Nothing's wrong with Dad…it's not his fault he got bitten."

"I know it's not, lad," Hagrid said gruffly, setting a plate of rock cakes on the table. Remembering his mother's warning, Teddy tactfully said that he'd just had lunch up at the castle. "But that's not for yeh to decide, is it?"

"No," he muttered, his small hands clenching into fists even so. "But if it was…" He didn't even bother to finish his sentence. Of course, it wasn't like he knew what he would've said anyway.

"I know, Teddy," was the half-giant's only answer. "But the Wizardin' World isn' perfect…I trust yeh know that." Teddy said nothing, continuing to drink his tea, cradling the large cup in his hands. "There'd be no Dark Wizards if it was a perfect world."

"I suppose," the eleven-year-old mumbled. "I told Mum I'd write to her today…I'd best get up to the castle. Thanks for the tea and understanding, Hagrid." He slid off the oversized chair and straightened his shirt before he left, smiling at his godfather's oldest friend as he went.

He headed straight for Gryffindor Tower, told the Fat Lady the password – "Lacewing Flies" – and walked up to his dormitory to retrieve the letter that his mother had sent him earlier that week. Sitting down, he took a quill from his bag and dipped it into the inkwell that sat on the side of his four-poster bed.

_Dear Mum,_

_Classes are brilliant, but why did Professor Flitwick fall off his stack of books when he called my name? And how come nobody ever told me how brilliant Dad's classes are? I guess I never really got why he was a teacher, it always seemed so boring, you know? But he's so bloody great! We learned about vampires and he said that we were such a good class so he wasn't going to give us homework! I mean, I don't think I'd mind the work, but Professor Slughorn already assigned two rolls of parchment on monkshood._

Teddy grinned at that. Monkshood was also known by another name, wasn't it?

_Er…I guess we'd know it better as wolfsbane. D'you think he did that on purpose? He doesn't seem to have taken a liking to me…but I reckon that's because Will and I set his favourite set of robes on fire. _

The boy's brown hair shifted to bright orange for a moment as he grimaced, remembering the incident on the first day of Potions class. Slughorn had been answering a question that some Hufflepuff – Nathan Edwards – Teddy remembered, had asked. _What was it again?_ He smirked. Not like it mattered, at any rate. It had been completely non-Potions related. The two Gryffindor boys had simply been trying to light their cauldron, but the flame caught hold of the Professor's emerald green robes.

_We didn't get in trouble, Mum, 'cause it was an accident, but he always gives me this look now. _

_Still_, the eleven-year-old thought wryly_, he didn't seem to have much confidence in my Potion-making abilities to begin with._

Teddy turned back to the letter and re-read what he had written. He still had yet to mention his…Muggle dueling with that Slytherin. He would've rather not told his mum…it was liable that he would get a Howler back. But he had promised his dad, after all.

_I…er…Mum, don't get mad. But before Dad's class on the first day, I sort of…got into a bit of a scuffle with a Slytherin git. Dad saw the whole thing. Well…actually, it was about Dad. I mean, he insulted him, what was I supposed to do, ignore it?_

_But enough about that, Quidditch trials are in a few weeks! Can you send my broom along? I know I'm only a first-year, and they're not gonna pick me, and stuff, but they have an opening for a Seeker, and I really want to have a shot! _

_All my love to you and Pads,_

_T. R. Lupin, Gryffindor House_

He smiled in satisfaction at his conclusion, and slid his letter into an envelope addressed to his mother. She wouldn't be too happy that he had gotten into a fight, but Teddy himself thought that he was justified, even if his father wouldn't hear of it.

Standing up, the boy grabbed the letter and slid out of the portrait hole, unnoticed by the others in the common room. He headed out of the castle, up to the Owlery.

xXxXxXx

A sharp crack disturbed the tranquility of the day and a woman appeared at the end of the otherwise empty street. The sudden sound startled a cat from its perch atop the garden wall of a slightly scruffy looking house. Perhaps 'startled' is the wrong word, as the cat merely glanced up the street at the approaching woman. It seemed to have a stern expression on its face. Funnily enough, this didn't faze the approaching woman. She did however, trip over her own shoelaces and land on her knees, with a muttered curse that sounded a lot like "Nargles!" Pushing herself up off the ground, she brushed her knees off and winked at the cat.

"Wotcher Professor!" this greeting appeared to be aimed at the cat. The cat that had since disappeared and left a stern-looking, grey-haired, but still regal looking woman wearing severe black robes in its place. The older woman said nothing in response to the younger woman's greeting at which the other woman's face paled.

"Professor! Is everything alright? Is Remus okay? Did something happen to Teddy!" the questions spilt out and the older woman raised a hand to halt the flow of queries.

"Inside, if you don't mind, Nymphadora?" she questions. The other woman shuddered slightly at the detested name but nodded and set about deactivating the wards on the house in question. The older woman raised an eyebrow at the complexity and numerousness of the wards guarding the house, to which the younger woman replied with a sheepish grin and a mumbled "Well, you never know."

Once the wards were deactivated, she showed the older woman inside, reactivated them and shut the door behind them. Automatically offering tea, which was gratefully accepted by her guest, she set out a plate of biscuits and put the kettle on to boil with a tap of her wand. Once the kettle was boiled, the tea poured and they had both eaten a biscuit, Tonks repeated her questions from earlier.

After reassuring the younger woman that her husband and son were okay, Minerva McGonagall, for that was, of course, who she was, got down to the crux of the matter that had brought her here.

"I trust by now you've received Theodore's letter?" McGonagall asked.

Tonks nodded in reply, she had sat down to answer it when she had been urgently called back into work. "Is that what this is about?"

McGonagall tilted her head in the affirmative. "More specifically about the scrape that young Mr. Lupin was involved in."

Tonks let out a soft growl, from what she could see the boy had been completely justified in his actions.

The Professor's eyes silently agreed with her, however she continued, "It seems, that in the ensuing scuffle, Mr. Lupin scratched the other young man and the parents are—"

At this point she was cut off by Tonks jumping to her feet, her hair turning a furious, fire-engine red, her chair toppling over and her tea cup smashing on the ground. She neither noticed nor cared. "Oh for Merlin's sake! He's as much a werewolf as I am!"

"Calm yourself, Nymphadora!" McGonagall rebuked her former student sharply. Tonks spluttered indignantly for a few more seconds before righting her chair, Vanishing the broken tea cup and sitting back down with a thump, her hair slowly fading to its customary bubble-gum pink. Resting her head in her hands with a groan she then looked up at her old teacher, a pleading expression on her face. "What do I have to do?"

She paled slightly when McGonagall told her but then squared her shoulders resolutely. The first part would be easy. The other half, not so much.

_Dear Teddy-bear,_

_McGonagall came by today and outlined what happened. The parents of the child you got into a fight with have come up with spurious allegations against you _-

Here she paused to growl softly to herself at the injustice of it all...it just wasn't bloody _fair_!

_They seem to think that, as the son of a werewolf, you somehow ARE one and so I have two tasks to perform. The first is easy. Get three people that know you to write letters of recommendation...easy. Your Grandmother Tonks, a respected Healer, the bloody Minister for Magic and Harry freakin' Potter himself should do the trick, don't you think dear? All, I might add, who have known you since you were BORN so there's no WAY that you "might have transformed and they missed it" or "we were hiding the fact that you had lycanthropy" or some other such nonsense. I'll send copies of their letters next week, if you want to see them?_

_As to the rest of your letter..._

_I would say Professor Flitwick was just excited dear, nothing to worry about._

_Nobody ever told you because, well you know how modest your father is and would you have believed them without experiencing one for yourself? As you said, you always thought it was boring so..._

She paused again, this time to smile reminiscently at the memory of Teddy asking what his father did and screwing his face up with a loud exclamation, "But that's so BOOOR-RING!" when told that his father taught.

_That's great that you didn't get any homework! I bet you were excited! I don't know about Slughorn dear but... It might have been. I laughed out a loud when I read that you'd set his robes on fire, I know it was an accident... you got that sort of thing from me, I'm sorry to say... but the mental image of him running around with his "precious emerald robes that he were given as a gift from some famous person or other" on fire kept me amused all day. In fact I received a "Personal Memo of Doom" that "random outbursts of loud laughter is conduct unbecoming for an Auror" from my supervisor._

Here she snorted softly to herself, that memo had been pinned to the dartboard as had all the others that she had been sent over the years were. She'd gotten a perfect bulls-eye too.

_Of course I'll send your broom to you, love! Seeker, aye? I'll be cheering for you Teddy! I hope you get in dear, but don't be too disappointed if you don't. Keep practicing and I'm sure you'll get it next year._

_My love, always and forever,_

_Mum._

She was worried about the second half of the task she had to complete. It wouldn't be easy for her, due to Teddy being under-age she had to be in the room. Frankly, she wasn't sure how Teddy would take to being kept awake all night next full moon, observed, documented and studied, poked and prodded, for _any_ little sign that he had contracted his father's "furry little problem".

Sealing the letter, she slid it into a previously addressed envelope with the Teddy's most likely location at Hogwarts written on the front and tied it to the patiently waiting owl. The poor thing looked exhausted, the winds were rather fierce and she considered getting her to stay the night. Before she could untie the letter however, the owl took off, as if she too knew how anxious Teddy was to get his reply.

xXxXxXx

_AN: Wotcher dear readers! You've got me this time **Nymphadora Andromeda Lupin**. **Teddy R. Lupin** is brilliant, amazing and wonderfully talented and I am so glad that I have the privilege to work with him. I hope you all are enjoying these letters, I know we're having fun writing them. First off I'd like to apologise about the delay in getting this next chapter up, we were both busy, thankfully Uni for me and school for Teddy is now over and we will have a lot more time to devote to this fic. Secondly, I borrowed the "Personalised Memo of Doom" from Kerichi's Blue Moon series, along with the "Tonks having a dartboard in her cubicle" idea. If you're a Remus/Tonks shipper you should definitely check it out!_

_Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner. Please let us know what you thought of this one, fingers crossed that you don't hate it._

_Again, thank-you, you are all amazing._

_Much love,_

_'Dora and Teddy_


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